John Calvin, Commentary on Nahum
Commentaries on the Twelve Minor Prophets by John Calvin.
Now first translated from the original Latin, by the Rev. John Owen,
vicar of Thrussington, Leicestershire.
Volume Third. Jonah, Micah, Nahum
WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, 1950, Michigan.
Printed in the United States of America.
The Commentaries of John Calvin on the Prophet Nahum
Calvin's Preface to Nahum
The time in which Nahum prophesied cannot with certainty be
known. The Hebrews, ever bold in conjectures, say that he discharged
his office of teaching under Manasseh, and that the name of that
king was suppressed, because he was unworthy of such an honor, or,
because his reign was unfortunate, as he had been led into
captivity. When any one asks the Jews a reason, they only say, that
it appears so to them. As then there is no reason for this
conjecture, we must come to what seems probable.
They who think that he prophesied under Jotham are no doubt
mistaken, and can easily be disproved; for he here threatens ruin to
the city Nineveh because the Assyrians had cruelly laid waste the
kingdom of Israel; and it is for these wrongs that he denounces
vengeance: but under Jotham the kingdom of Israel had not been laid
waste. We indeed know that the Assyrians were suborned by Ahab, when
he found himself unequal to resist the attacks of two neighboring
kings, the king of Syria, and the king of Israel. It was then that
the Assyrians penetrated into the land of Israel, and in course of
time, they desolated the whole kingdom. At this period it was that
Nahum prophesied; for it was his object to show, that God had a care
for that kingdom, on account of his adoption or covenant; though the
Israelites had perfidiously separated themselves from the people of
God, yet God's covenant remained in force. His design then was to
show, that God was the father and protector of that kingdom. As this
was the Prophet's object, it is certain that he taught either after
the death of Ahab under Hezekiah, or about that time.
He followed Jonah at some distance, as we may easily learn.
Jonah, as we have already seen, pronounced a threatening on the city
Nineveh; but the punishment was remitted, because the Ninevites
humbled themselves, and suppliantly deprecated the punishment which
had been announced. They afterwards returned to their old ways, as
it is usually the case. Hence it was, that God became less disposed
to spare them. Though indeed they were aliens, yet God was pleased
to show them favor by teaching them through the ministry and labors
of Jonah: and their repentance was not altogether feigned. Since
then they were already endued with some knowledge of the true God,
the less excusable was their cruelty, when they sought to oppress
the kingdom of Israel. They indeed knew, that that nation was sacred
to God: what they did then was in a manner an outrage against God
himself.
We now understand at what time it is probable that Nahum
performed his office as a teacher; though nothing certain, as I have
said at the beginning, can be known: hence it was, that I condemned
the Rabbis for rashness on the subject; for they are bold enough to
bring any thing forward as a truth, respecting which there is no
certainty.
I have already in part stated the design of the Prophet. The
sum of the whole is this: When the Assyrians had for some time
disturbed the kingdom of Israel, the Prophet arose and exhorted the
Israelites to patience, that is, those who continued to be the
servants of God; because God had not wholly forsaken them, but would
undertake their cause, for they were under his protection. This is
the substance of the whole.
With regard to Nineveh, we have already stated that it was the
capital of the empire, as long as the Assyrians did bear rule: for
Babylon was a province; that is, Chaldea, whose metropolis was
Babylon, was one of the provinces of the empire. The kingdom was
afterwards taken away from Meroc-baladan. Some think that
Nabuchodonosor was the first monarch of Chaldea. But I bestow no
great pains on this subject. It may be, that Meroc-baladan had two
names, and this was very common; as we know that the kings of Egypt
were called Pharaohs; so the Assyrians and Chaldeans, though
otherwise called at first, might have taken a common royal name. Now
Nineveh was so celebrated, that another kingdom could not have been
established by the Babylonians without demolishing that city. We
indeed know that it was very large, as we have stated in explaining
Jonah. It was, as profane writers have recorded, nearly three days'
journey in circumference. Then its walls were one hundred feet high,
and so wide, that chariots could pass one another without coming in
contact: there were one thousand and five hundred towers. We hence
see that it was not without reason that this city was formerly so
celebrated.
They say that Ninus was its founder, but this is proved to be a
mistake by the testimony of Moses in Gen. 10. They also imagine that
Semiramis was the first queen of Babylon, and that the city was
built by her: but this is a fable. It may have been that she
enlarged the city; but it was Babylon many ages before she was born.
So also Ninus may have increased and adorned Nineveh; but the city
was founded before his birth. Profane authors call it Ninus, not
Nineveh; probably the Hebrew name was corrupted by them, as it is
often the case. However this may be, it is evident, that when
Meroc-baladan, or his son, who succeeded him, wished to fix the seat
of the empire at Babylon, he was under the necessity of destroying
Nineveh to prevent rivalry. It thus happened, that the city was
entirely demolished. Of this destruction, as we shall see, Nahum
prophesied.
Calvin's Commentary on Nahum, Part A
(Continued in Part 1...)
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